Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has become an important raw material for production of moldings, film and fibers. Preparation of PET is described inter alia in Whinfield et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,319 and in Pengilly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,539, and in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Second Edition, Vol. 16, pp. 159 et seq. (1968), all disclosures being incorporated herein by reference.
Many applications for injection and extrusion molded parts require heat resistance, and it is in such applications that PET manifests certain undesirable properties. Unreinforced PET has been of limited interest for making such parts due to its low HDT (Heat Deflection Temperature)--about 75.degree. C. at 264 psi. HDT is a measure of an important thermal property of a thermoplastic material wherein a bar of the material, held in flexure under constant load (usually at 264 or 66 psi), deforms a specified amount and the temperature at which this specified deformation occurs is the HDT--see Billmeyer, Textbook of Polymer Science, p. 112, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (1962).
It is desirable to have PET compositions which have improved Izod Impact strengths. In compositions such as these, it is oftentimes difficult to find an impact modifier which not only provides the sought after increase in Izod Impact strength but also does so without negating other desirable physical properties such as HDT. Thus a welcome contribution to the art would be an impact modifier that provides improved Izod Impact strength without negating other improved properties in the PET, such as HDT.